Projectile.



D. G. DOWNS.

PROJECTILE. APPLlCATlON FILED mac. 24. 1915. RENEWED MAR. 21. 1917.

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PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FltED DEC. 24. I9I5 RENEWED MAR. 2|, 19H.

Patented June 12, 1917.

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DAVID GRIFFIN DOWN S, 0F ESTHERVILLE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '.I.O GEORGE E. GROVES, OF ESTHERVILLE, IOWA.

PROJEGTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December-24, 1915, Serial No. 68,548. Renewed March 21, 1917. Serial No. 156,462.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVIDVG. Downs, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Estherville, in the county of Emmet and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs. v

This invention relates to projectiles and more particularly to aprojectile of that general type known as a chain or cable shot, the invention having for its primary object to provide a device of this character which, when projected from a gun or mortar, will have an active destructive influence over a wide area.

It is a more particular object .of the invention to provide a projectile embodying a plurality of metal balls each having a swivel connection to a wire cable or chain, and a spirally coiled section in the cable length adapted to unwind in the flight of the balls when discharged from the gun muzzle.

The invention has for an additional general object to provide a projectile which may be advantageously employed for various purposes frequently encountered in modern warfare, the device being highly effective in practical use and operating to quickly disseminate the ranks of the enemy;

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating one form of my improved mul tiple projectile; I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing an alternative mounting or arrangement of the coiled cable;

Fig. '3 1s a plan view showing the ar rangement of the device in connection Wlth.

a multiple-barreled gun from which the same is to be discharged;

Fig. 4. is an elevation of another modification of the invention; 1

Fig. 5 is a view showing a further alternative form of the projectile;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the. device equipped with drag hooks for destroying barbed wire obstructions; and

Figs. 7, 8 and-9 are views illustrating more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, 5 designates a series of solid balls or shot which may be of spherical or elliptical form, and

each of these shot is provided with a swiveled ball bearing cap 6. As illustrated, three of the shot are employed, and the cap 6 of the central shot is provided with a housing 7 to contain the spirally wound medial portion of a cable 8. This central portion of the cable is doubledupon itself and then coiled into a spiral, the cable at the bend therein which is located at the base of the coil being suitably fixed to the central rod 10 arranged in the housing 7. extends in relatively opposite directions from the coils which are indicated at 9, through suitable openings provided in the wall of the housing v7, and .to the extremities of the cable one of the ends of the coil springs 11 are connected, the other ends of said springs being suitably attached to the swiveled cap '6 of the other ball shots 5.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, if desired the central shot 5 may be eliminated, and the spirally wound coils in the central portion-of the connecting cable 8 arranged upon the stationary conical reel 12, the coils in the cable being gradually reduced in diameterfrom the base of the reel to the apex thereof. Again, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the central portion of the cable may simply be coiled and arranged upon a suitable support indicated at S which projects forwardly between spaced diverging barrels B of the gun G, whereby the projectile is discharged.

The cable It is thus obvious and the cable will be stretched taut so that the same will sweep over a large area and carry with it all obstructions in its path. The

barrels of the gun, illustrated in Fig. 3, are

of course elevated in accordance with the range, and the explosive charges are ignited and exploded at the same time so that the balls will be discharged from the gun barrel simultaneously and in divergent directions, thereby causing the coiled portion of the cable to immediately unwind.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated a type of the device wherein the several ball shot'are connected by springs or. other yieldable elements with cable sections indicated at 13, the spiral coil above referred to being dispensed with. Upon the cable sections 13, a number of explosive bombs 14 are suitably attached, and from each cable section a flexible wire frame 15 w depends, and upon the wires thereof suitable weights, indicated, at 16, 'arefi'xed.

These weights serve as small shot and have a very destructive, effect when the device is discharged into massedforces of the enemy. I

In Fig. 5, I have shown a slightly different form of the device as illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein, in addition to the bombs 14 on the cable sections, a series of spacedpendant cables 17 are connected to each cable section "13, and to each of the pendant cables spaced bombs 18 are attached. In this manner, I provide means for the attachment of a large number of eXplosiVe bombson the connected balls. or projectiles.

In Flg. 6 of the drawings, I have shown the device provided with means designed for removing barbed wire obstructions commonly employed in trench warfare. To this end, the cable sections 13 connecting the spaced shot, are provided with a'plura'lity of pendant drag hooks 19 of relatively different lengths. When the device is discharged at the trenches of the enemy, these hooks will engage the barbed wire obstructlons, removing the same and carrying the wire'into the ranks of the enemy so that the men will become entangled therein. The eflicacy of this form of the device will thus be apparent.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, I have'shown illuminating means carried by the connected projectiles, whereby the'field of battle may be illuminated. To this end, I suspend from each of the cables 13, 'a multiplicity of electric light bulbs indicated at 20, which are connected in series. The electric batteries 21 constitute the source of current and are connected by suitable wiring to the twoseries of bulbs; The circuit is, of course, closed prior to the. discharge of the projectile from the gun barrel and, in its flight over the field of battle, the large number of electric lightbulbs serve to illuminate the field.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, I have shown a different illuminating means, wherein saturated felt, cotton or other suitable mate'rial indicated at 22, is suitably fixed to each of the connecting cables 13. This material is saturated with kerosene, gasolen'e,

each of the connecting cables 13, the wall of the cylinder being perforated. Upon the .cylinder, suitable porous fabric material 24 is secured. The balls connected by the cable sections are hollow to receive expansible bags or containers 25, and suitable flexible tubes 26 lead from these bags to the ends of the cylinders 23 and supply the latter with gas or oil contained in the bags. These bags are constructed of suitable elastic material which, by its compressive action, dis charges the oil orgas continuously into the cylinders 23. This oil or gas, when ignited, causes the fabric 24 to blaze.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and advantags'of the several forms of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. In that form of the device wherein the centrallycoiled section of the cable is employed, it will be seen that as this cable unwinds, it may be caused to assume any desired form .by placing a greater charge in one of the gun barrels than in the other so that the shottwill be projected at different speeds. This will be necessary when the device is fired at an irregular trench in order that all portions of the cable, throughout its length, and the terminal balls will'reach the trench at the same time.

highly reliable and effective in practical use, and may manifestly be produced in large quantities at comparatively small cost. While I have above referred to the several preferred forms of my invention, it is to be understood that I also contemplate producing the device in' various other constructions which may be found desirable in particular instances. I, therefore, reserve the privilege of making all such legitimate changes as may fairly all within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A projectile of the character described includingl spaced members, and a flexible element aving a coiled portion carried by one of said members, said element being connected to the remaining members.

conduct of mod- My invention, as a whole, is exceedingly slmple 1n 1ts construction,

2. A projectile of the character described including a series of projectiles proper, cable sections yieldably connected at their ends to said projectiles, and explosive bombs attached to each of the cable sections.

3. A projectile of the character described including a series of spaced projectiles proper, cables connecting the projectiles to each other, inflammable means carried by each of the cables, and a combustible agent carried by each of said projectiles to be supplied to the inflammabl means.

4. A projectile of the character described including a plurality of projectiles proper each being hollow, a container in each projectile, said containers being adapted to contain a combustible fluid, cables connecting the projectiles to each other, a foraminated cylinder on each of said cables, an inflammable material secured upon each cylinder,

and conduits to supply the combustible fluid. from the projectiles, to the interior of said cylinders.

5. A projectile of the character described including a spaced series of projectiles proper, one of said projectiles being provided with a housing, and a cable having a coiled portion contained within said housing, the extremities of the cable being connected to the other projectiles.

6. A projectile of the character described including a plurality of projectiles proper, one of said projectiles being provided with a housing, a circular rotatable rod mounted within said housing, and a cable having a 'double coil arranged upon said rod, the extremities of the cable being extended from the coils exteriorly of the housing and connected to the other projectiles.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID GRIFFIN DOWNS.-

Witnesses:

C. W. CRIM,

CHANOEY L. Cox. 

